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Effectiveness
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charts to enlarge
Comments
on Performance—Effectiveness
Performance
in cataloguing of new Collection items was slightly lower
than target, due to minor delays in cataloguing Pictorial
Collection items towards the end of the year.
Quality
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Comments
on Performance—Quality
Targets
for processing and preservation of Collection items were met.
The
Library aims to store all Collection material in suitable
environmental conditions; the target of 85 per cent reflects
expectations about what could be achieved with existing air
conditioning. The target was substantially met, with an average
performance of 83 per cent.
The
Library is planning improvements to its air conditioning system
to improve humidity control in some storage areas.
Quantity
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Comments
on Performance—Quantity
The
Library acquired a number of exceptional collections during
the year, including several large Australian photographic
collections. The target was exceeded, with 498 498 items
acquired and/or processed.
Price
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Key
Issues/Developments
Developing
the Collection
The
four-year Bringing
Them Home Oral History Project, one of the outcomes of
the National
Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Children from their Families, concluded at
the end of the year. During the project, 310 interviews were
held with Indigenous Australians and others. Preparation began
on a book based on the interviews, due
for publication in late 2002.
As
well as legal deposit, purchase, and exchange, Library collections
grew through gift and donation. During the year, and as part
of its centenary celebrations, the Library launched BookSearch,
appealing to the public for a number of items or categories
of material missing from its collections. A generous response
enabled the Library to fill many gaps.
A
large number of older Australian printed books, pamphlets
and maps were acquired during the year, including a number
of eighteenth and early nineteenth century works from dealers
or at auction. Notable acquisitions were a Jean Baptiste Nolin
wall map of 1700, showing the conjectured east coast of Australia,
and an 1805 watercolour portrait of the explorer Charles Sturt.
Other outstanding items and collections received included
facsimile volumes of the manuscript papers of Leonardo da
Vinci, and the Farnese Hours; a collection on theosophy
assembled by the late Dr
John Cooper; the earliest Greek-language book published in
Australia; two significant early celestial atlases; and a
collection on Chinese art assembled by the late Bronwyn Thomas.
Providing
access to the Collection
The
Library made progress in replacing its 10-year-old management
system, on which most of the Library acquisition and cataloguing
processes are carried out, and which operates as the Online
Public Catalogue. A request for expressions of interest
was followed by a limited Request for Tender. An evaluation
process has resulted in the recommendation of a preferred
supplier.
The
Library is seeking to have the legal deposit provisions of
the Copyright
Act 1968 extended to cover audio-visual publications
and electronic resources, and contributed to the preparation
of a government discussion paper on the subject.
Arrangements
were made for subscription to an electronic journal service,
which will give users access to approximately 3200 additional
overseas serial titles.
Maintaining
the Collection
During
the year, the Library finalised development of a national
strategy for managing
collections held on deteriorating cellulose acetate film,
including many microfilm, photographic and sound-recording
collections. The strategy was developed in conjunction with
State libraries, archives and other collecting institutions.
The Library also began identifying and treating its own extensive
cellulose acetate holdings.
The
Library continued to develop infrastructure and tools to support
the long-term maintenance of digital resources, including
the National Collection of Australian Online Publications.
The Library released a digital
preservation policy and action plan setting out its intentions
and agenda for maintaining access despite changes in technology
over time.
Digital
conversion of the Library’s large collection of Oral
History recordings has progressed steadily over a number
of years. Investment in new archiving equipment and procedures
this year has significantly increased efficiency.
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